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Nelson rejects contribution from former CAIR official

Posted Nov 8, 2011 by William March

Updated Nov 8, 2011 at 07:18 PM

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, who’s running for re-election, has rejected a contributiion from a man associated with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim group that has been accused in the past of links to radical organizations.

The donor, Ahmed Bedier, is the former Tampa director of the organization, which says it rejects terrorism and violence and denies any charges of having links to or supporting terrorist organizations.

According to a campaign spokesman, Bedier attended a Nelson fundraiser held last month by Manal Fakhoury, a prominent Ocala pharmacist, at her home.

“Fakhoury sent out the invitation and decided whom to invite,” according to a statement from the campaign. Attendees included “a city council member, a local law enforcement official and a number of area business and civic leaders.”

“Sen. Nelson does not know Mr. Bedier, who made a relatively small contribution of $500.”

The campaign returned Bedier’s check because it “learned of some highly controversial statements Bedier made about Israel” which disagree with Nelson’s views, the statement said.

CAIR publicizes and opposes incidents of hostility or discrimination against American Muslims, and says it is an organization devoted to furthering religious tolerance, diversity and civil rights.

However, federal investigators have said the organization at one time had ties to an organization created to support Hamas, which the federal government considers a terrorist group.